Ignition switch control of starter



H. E. NORVHEL. 1,931,619

IGNITION SWITCH CONTROL OF STARTER Oct. 24, 1933.

Original Filed April 13, 1952 25 a a0 8/ as 7/ INVENTOR 3y Anne-Asa .BANAING (oMPA/w,

[xzcuroR W WY :ZL ATTORNEYS ?at ented 0c t. 24, 1933 IGNITION SWITCH CONTROL OF STARTER Harry E. Norviel, deceased, late of Anderson, llnd.,

by Anderson Banking Company, executor, Anderson, lnd., assignor to Delco-Remy Corporation, Anderson, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Qriginal application April 13, 1932, Serial No. 605,094. Divided and this application January .19, 1933. Serial No. 652,483

12 Claims. (Cl. 175-357) l l,93l,6l9

This invention relates to coil and switch units,

and more particularly to lock coils for automotive vehicles such as disclosed in application Serial No. 605,094, filed April 13, 1932, and of which this application is a division. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a lock coil of economical con-- struction which can be produced at low cost; and this object is accomplished by providing a novel combination of elements-comprising, a tubular, metallic case having parallel notches extending part-way in from one end, a non-conducting partition carrying stationary switch contacts located within the case and having lugs received by-said notches and abutting the end surfaces thereof, a sleeve surrounding the notched end portion of the case and abutting said lugs, a plate fitting within the notched end portion of the case and having lugs received by said notches and abutting said sleeve, means for retaining the plate including portions of the case bent over against the outside of the plate, a switch actuator carried by the plate, a movable contact within the case and operated by the operator, windings within the case connected to one side 01 the switch contacts, and terminals carried by the case for connecting the windings to a battery and ignition timer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coil and switch unit including low; tension terminals for making connection respec-.

tively with a storage battery or other current source, an ignition timer or circuit interrupter and one or more other instruments or electrical devices which may be operated from the current source, such as an electric gasoline gauge or an electric device for automatically causing the engine starter togrip the engine when the ignition switch is closed. In this connection it is an object of the invention to provide-for grounding the ignition timer terminal of the coil switch unit when the ignition is turned oil.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a coil switch unit in which the switch shall have three positions. In one of these positions, preferably the intermediate position, the ignition is turned off, that is, the battery terminal is disconnected from the coil within the unit and hence from the ignition timer terminal to which the coil winding is connected. When the ignition is turned off, the coil winding' is preferably grounded, thus grounding the ignition interrupter and making it impossible for the ignition to be rendered operative by connecting another coil in series with the storage battery and the ignition timer. In one of the extreme positions of the switch operating memher the ignition is turned on, that is the battery terminal is connected with the winding in the switch unit and one of the instrument terminals carried by the unit is also connected with the battery. in another extreme position of the switch actuator the ignition is turned on as before, but a different instrument or device is connected with the current source. In this way there is provided two on positions for the ignition. In one of the on positions one 01' the instruments such as an electric gasoline gauge can be operated; and in the other extreme position of the switch actuator the automatic starting device controller is rendered operative while the gasoline gauge remains inoperative.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

in the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view or a coil Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the switching mechanism arranged in the "Start" position.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the switching mechanism arranged in the Run position.

Referring to Fig. 1, the coil switch unit comprises a tubular metallic case 20 having parallel notches 21 extending part-way in from one end. The case 20 receives a nonconducting contact support 22 which is primarily a disc-like body received within the tubular case in order 'to provide an end wall for the coil housing. The support 22 has radially extending lugs 23 each of which is received within a notch 21 and each of which is provided with grooves 23a, 23b and 230 which receive those edgeportions of the case which define the notches 21 in the case 20.

'The contact support 22 is held in the position shown in Fig. l by a sleeve or collar 25 which.

surrounds the notched portion of the case 20 and which abuts the lugs 23 01 the support 22. The

sleeve or collar may be retained upon the case by spot-welding as indicated at 26. The sleeve or collar 25 provides apertured cars 27 through which bolts or screws may pass for securing the coil switch unit to any suitable support such as the back surface of the instrument board. The space 28 within the case 20 and collar is occupied by a switch and is closed by a plate 30 fitting within the notched end portionof the case 20 and having lugs 31 which are received by the notches 21 and which abut the flange 29 of the sleeve 25. The means for retaining the plate 30 in position includes interrupted flanges 32 which are provided by bending over the extreme end portions of the case 20 which projects beyond the plate 30.

The plate 30 supports a bushing 34 within which is a rotatable key barrel 35 which may be rotated when the proper key 36 is inserted, as shown in Fig. 1. The barrel 35 is retained within the bushing 34 by a ring 3'7, which is vertically slidable in a groove 38 provided by the barrel 35 and which may drop behind a shoulder 39 provided by the bushing 34.

The barrel 35 together with the key 36 constitutes a switch actuator which drives a non-conducting switch contact carrier 40 having a recess 41 (see Fig. 4) for receiving an eccentric projection 42 provided by the barrel 35 and which carries a stud 43 eccentric the axis of the bar rel 35 and adapted to slide freely into a hole 44 provided by the barrel 35. Thus, the carrier 40 is mounted for rotation with the barrel 35 and is axially movable relative thereto. The carrier 40 is provided with notches 45, each receiving an ear 46 projecting laterally from a triangular metal plate 47 carrying substantially at each of its apexes a contact 48 engageable with stationary contacts 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54 carried by the nonconducting partition 22, said contacts being metal inserted in the mold in which the material of the partition 22 is molded.

The plate 4'7 carries a cup-shaped extension 55 which receives a spring 56 bearing thereagainst and also against the carrier 40. The spring 56 urges the contacts 48 against the partition 22 and its contacts, and also urges the carrier 40 against the plate 30. The plate 30 provides an car 57 received in the space between lugs 58 and 59 of the carrier 40 and thus providing a stop, limiting movement of the carrier 40 beyond its two extremes of movement in either direction.

The plate 30 provides a projection 60 receivable within either of three detent holes 61, thus yieldingly retaining the contact carrier 40 in either of its three positions, namely an intermediate position and two extreme positions. As the key 36 is turned, the carrier 40 is caused to move toward the right against the action of the spring 56 due to the camming action of the detent 60 with the carrier 40. When the carrier 40 is so moved as to present another hole 61 in alignment with the detent 60, the spring 56 is released to cause the carrier 40 to move toward the left so that another of its holes 61 will receive the detent 60 and thus yieldingly hold the carrier 40 in another of its positions.

The contact 50 is grounded by a conducting strap of thin material which may project with the adjacent lug 23 through one of the notches and thence be soldered to'the case 20 or to the sleeve or collar 25. Since the sleeve or collar 25 is generally attached to a metal part of the automobile, itis apparent that the contact 50 will be grounded on the automobile as represented by the symbol 70a as shown in the diagram in Fig. 2. Before the coil (to be hereafter described) is assembled within the case 20, wires 71, 72, 73 and '74 having insulated coverings are placed within the case 20 and are connected at their left hand ends with the contacts 51, 52, 53 and 54 respectively. The ends of the wires '72 and 73 are twisted together as indicated at '75 and are soldered.

The ignition coil subassembly comprises a secondary winding mounted upon a nonconducting tube 81 and having an insulating wrapping 82 upon which is afterwards wound a primary winding 83 enclosed by a nonconducting wrapping 84. The coil assembly includes a bundle of magnetizable wires or rods 85 inserted within the tube 81 and having their projecting ends encased in nonconducting tubes 86 and 87 that may be extensions of the tube 81. Before placing this coil assembly within the case 20, a tubular body of a plurality of turns of magnetizable material 88 is inserted to provide the outer magnetizable circuit of the coil.

After assembling the partition 22 in the case 20 in the manner described, and after placing the magnetizable material 88 within the case, the case is located with the partition 22 lowermost and a quantity of hydrolene or other asphaltic compound 90 is poured into the case sufficient to fill the case about one-third full. Then the coil assembly is inserted while the case remains in a vertical position, thus causing the material 90 to rise to a level above the upper end of the secondary windings 30. The outer end 80a of the secondary 80 and the inner end 831) of the winding 83 are attached to the wire 73. The outer lead 83a of the primary 83 is passed through a hole 91 in the coil end member 92 and is attached to a terminal 93 known as the ignition timer terminal. The wire 71 is threaded through a hole 94 in the cover 92 and is attached to a terminal 95 known as the battery terminal. In a similar manner wires 74 and 72 are threaded through holes in the cover 92 and are attached to terminals 96 and 9''! shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2. Then the cover 92 is attached to the housing 20 by spinning over its metallic flange 97a against a flange 98 provided by the case 20.

The cover 92 which is made of nonconducting material like the contact support 22 is provided with a tubular extension 99 that faces toward a similar tubular extension 100 of the support 22. The extensions 99 and 100 receive and support the core 85. Before placing the cover 92 upon the case 20, a further quantity of hydrolene 90 is introduced so as to bring the level of hydrolene within a short distance of the top or open end of the case 20 surrounded by the flange 98. Before this additional quantity of hydrolene 90 hardens,

the cover 92 is placed in the position shown in Fig. 1, and its tubular extension or skirt 99 serves to spread the hydrolene 90 and causes it to rise still further in the case 20 and to fill up the grooves and recesses of the cover 92. The cover 92 provides a nonconducting socket 101 within which is located a metallic thimble 102 for receiving a metal clip on the end of a high tension cable by which the coil unit is connected to an ignition distributor. Before attaching such cable connector to the thimble 102, a nail 103 is driven through previously formed, aligned holes in the thimble 102 and cover 92 and between the wires of the center core 85 to which the inner end lead 80!) of the secondary 80 is electrically connected. Thus the core 85 and the nail 103 provide an electric connection between the lead and the thimble 102.

The coil is now ready to be inspected, tested and installed. In installation on an automotive vehicle the battery terminal 95 is connected to a storage battery 110 grounded at 111; the terminal 93 is connected to an ignition timer 112 grounded at 113; the terminal 96 is connected to an instrument 114 which may be an automatic device grounded at 114a for causing the engine starter to operate to crank the engine when the ignition is turned on; and the terminal 97 is connected with another instrument such as a gasoline gauge 116 grounded at 11"2.

When the key barrel 35 is turned into such a position as to permit withdrawal of the key, the ignition circuit will be interrupted, that is the ignition is turned off, the three switch contacts 48 being located as indicated by dashed circles in Fig. 2. In this position of the contacts 48, the stationary contact 51 to which the battery 110 is connected by terminal 95 and wire 71 is not connected with any other stationary contact, hence the ignition timer 112 is disconnected from the battery 110. It will be noted, however, that one of the contacts 48 engages the contact 50 and another of the contacts 48 engages contact .52; therefore the ignition timer terminal 93 will be grounded through the following circuit: terminal 93, primary 83, wires 83b and 73, wire '75, contact 52, movable contact 48, contact plate 47, another movable contact 48, stationary contact 50, strap 70, case 20 or collar 25 and thence to ground at 70a through metallic parts of the automobile. Thus the car cannot be started by connecting another ignition coil in series between the battery 110 and the terminal 98. a

When the contact carrier 40 is rotated counterclockwise into its extreme position, indicated in Fig. 6 none of the contacts 48 will engage the contact 50, hence the'ground connection will be interrupted. Two of the contacts 48 will engage respectively the contacts 51 and 53, therefore the battery terminal 95 will be connected with the ignition timer terminal 93 through the following circuit: terminal 95, wire 71, contact 51, con-. tact 48, plate 4'1, another contact 48, contact 53, wire 73, primary 83, terminal 93, timer 112. Furthermore the gasoline gauge 116 will be connected with the battery through the following circuit: terminal 95, wire 71, contact 51, a contact 48, plate 47, another contact 48, contact 53, wire '75, contact 52 wire 72, terminal 97, gauge 116.

When the carrier 40 is turned clockwise to its extreme position indicated in Fig. 5 and in which none of the contacts 48 will engage the contact 50, but one of the contacts 48 will engage the contact 51, another will engage the contact 53 and the third will engage the contact 54. The ignition timer 112 will then be connected with the battery 110 as before, and the instrument or device 114 for the automatic starting of the automobile engine will be connected to the battery through the following circuit: terminal 95, wire '71, contact 51, a contact 48, plate 47, another contact 48, contact 54, wire '74-, terminal 96 and instrument or device 114.

The locking coil unit therefore provides means for preventing unauthorized use of the gasoline gauge 116 or the automatic engine starting control 114, as well as preventing unauthorized connection of the ignition circuit.

The gasoline gauge is not required to be read at all times, though means are provided for its connection to the storage battery while the ignition is operated. The switch provides a convenient means for reading the gasoline gauge before starting, by turning the key toward the right or clockwise, for the driver may turn on the ignition and read the gasoline gauge at the same time, if there is sufficient gasoline recorded. Then, the driverturns the key toward the left into the extreme position in a counter-clockwise direction whereupon the ignition is again operative and the automatic starter control 114 is rendered operative to cause the engine to start without further manipulation. The gasoline gauge will also be operative in this latter position.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A coil and switch unit comprising, in combination, a tubular metallic case, closure members for the case, one of said members being a nonconducting partition carrying stationary switch contacts and located within the case, a sleeve surrounding the end portion of the case, a plate fitting within the end portion of the case and abutting said sleeve, means for retaining the plate including portions of the case bent over against the 4 outside of the plate, a plurality of low tension terminals insulatingly carried by the case including a terminal for connection to a battery, a terminal for connection to an ignition timer, and terminals for connection to instruments, conductors connecting the windings with a switch stationary contact and with the timer terminal, a movable switch actuator, and a movable contact member operated thereby and having contacts so arranged with respect to the stationary switch contacts that, in an intermediate position of the switch actuator, the battery terminal is disconnected from the others, that, in one extreme position of the actuator, the battery terminal is connected with the windings and with all instrument terminals, and that, in the other extreme position of the actuator, the battery termisaid members being a nonconducting partition carrying stationary switch contacts located with-' in the case, a sleeve surrounding thecase, a plate fitting within the case and abutting said sleeve, means for retaining the plate including portions of the case bent over against the outside of the plate, a plurality of low tension terminals insulatingly carried by the base including a terminal for connection with a battery, a terminal for connection with an ignition timer, a terminal for connection with an engine starter control and a terminal for connection with another instrument, conductors connecting the windings with a switch stationary contact and with the timer terminal,

a movable switch actuator and a movable contact member operated thereby and having contacts so arranged with respect to the stationary contacts that, in an intermediate position of the switch actuator, the battery terminal is disconits nected from the others, that, in one extreme position of the actuator, the battery terminal is connected with the winding and the engine-starter control terminal, and that, in the other extreme position of the actuator the-battery terminal is disconnected from the engine-starter-controlterminal but is connected with the winding and the other instrument terminal.

4. A coil and switch unit according to claim 3 further characterized by including means for grounding the timer terminal through the windings and coil case when the switch actuator is in the intermediate position.

5. A coil and switch unit comprising, in combination, a tubular metallic case, closure members for the case, one of said members being a nonconducting partition carrying stationary switch contacts, a plate fitting the end portion of the case, means for retaining the plate including portions of the case bent over the plate, a switch actuator carried by the plate, a movable contact within the case and operated by the actuator, windings within the case connected to one of the switch contacts, and terminals carried by the case for connecting the windings to a battery and ignition timer, and another terminal which is grounded to the case, conductors connecting the windings with a switch stationary contact and with the timer terminal, said movable contact member having contacts so arranged with respect to the stationary contacts that, in one position of the switch actuator, the battery terminal is disconnected from the others, and the timer terminal is grounded through the coil and case, and that, in another position of the actuator, the ground connection is interrupted and the battery terminal is connected to the winding.

6. A coil and switch unit comprising, in combination, a tubular metallic case, closure members for the case, one of said members being a nonconducting partition carrying stationary switch contacts located within the case, a plate fitting the case, means Ior retaining the plate including portions of the case, a switch actuator carried by the plate, a movable contact within the case and operated by the actuator, windings within the case connected to one of the switch contacts, the other closure member insulatingly supporting a plurality of terminals including a terminal forconnection with a battery, and a terminal for connection with conductors connecting the windings with the timer terminal and with certain of the stationary contacts, a conductor connecting the battery terminal with a stationary contact, a conductor grounding a stationary contact upon the case, said movable switch actuator and said movable contact member operated thereby having contacts so arranged with respect to the stationary contacts that, in one position of the actuator, the movable contact member connects only the grounded contact with a contact con nected with the winding, and that, in another position of the actuator, the movable contact member disconnects the winding from the grounded contact and connects stationary contacts connected respectively with the battery terminal and with the winding.

7. A coil and switch unit according to claim further characterized as having also a stationary switch contact on one closure member connected with an instrument terminal upon the other closure member, and as having its movable switch contact so arranged that, when the winding is connected with the battery terminal, the instrument terminal is also connected with the battery terminal, and that, when the winding is grounded, the instrument terminal is disconnected from the battery terminal.

8. A coil and switch unit according to claim 6 further characterized as having also two stationary switch contacts on one closure member connected respectively with two instrument terminals on the other closure member, and as having its movable switch contact so arranged that, when the winding is disconnected from the battery terminal and is grounded, both instrument terminals are disconnected from the battery, that, in another position of the movable switch member to disconnect the windings from the grounded contact and to connect them with the battery terminal, one of the instrument terminals is also connected with the battery terminal, and that, in yet another position of the movable switch member, the battery terminal is connected with the windings and with both or the other instrument terminals.

9. A coil and switch unit comprising, in combination, a tubular metallic case having parallel notches extending part-way in from one end, closure members for the case, one of said members being a non-conducting partition carrying stationary switch contacts located within the case, and having lugs received by said notches that abut the end surfaces thereof, a grounding connector for one of the switch contacts extending along the partition lug, a collar surrounding the notched end portion of the case and abutting said lugs so as to engage said grounding connector, a plate fitting within the notched end portion of the case and having lugs received by said notches and abutting said collar, means for retaining the plate including portions of the case bent over against the outside of the plate, windings within the case connected to one of the switch contacts, a plurality of low tension terminals insulatingly carried by the case including a terminal for connection to a battery and a terminal for connection to an ignition timer, conductors connecting the windings with a switch stationary contact and with the timer terminal, a movable switch actuator, and a movable contact member operated thereby and having contacts so arranged with respect to the stationary contacts that, in one position of the switch ac tuator, the battery terminal is disconnected from the others, and the timer terminal is grounded through the coil and case, and that, in another position of the actuator, the ground connection is interrupted and the battery terminal is connected to the winding.

10. A coil and switch unit comprising, in combination, a tubular metallic case having parallel notches extending part-way in from one end, a winding within the case, end members enclosing the winding, one of said members insulatingly supporting switch stationary contacts, and having lugs received by said case notches that abut the end surfaces thereof, means for grounding one of said switch contacts, a collar surrounding the notched end portion of the case and abutting said lugs, means connecting the grounding means to said collar, a plate fitting within the notched end portion of the case and having lugs received by said notches and abutting said collar, means for retaining the plate including portions of the case bent against the plate, means connecting the windings within the case to one of the switch contents, and to terminals carried by the case for connecting the windings to a battery and ignition timer, the other end member insulatingly supporting a plurality of terminals including a terminal for connection with a battery, and a terminal for connection with an ignition timer, a movable switch actuator and a movable contact member operated thereby and having contacts so arranged with respect to the stationary contacts that, in one position of the actuator the movable contact member connects only the grounded contact with a contact connected with the winding, and that, in another position of the actuator, the movable contact member disconnects the winding from the grounded contact and connects stationary contacts connected respectively with the battery terminal and with the winding.

11. A coil and switch unit according to claim 10 further characterized as having also a stationary switch contact on one end member connected with an instrument terminal upon the other end member, and as having its movable switch contact so arranged that, when the winding is connected with the battery terminal, the instrument terminal is also connected with the battery terminal, and that, when the winding 12. A coil and switch unit according to claim 10 further characterized as having also. two sta tionary switch contacts on one end member con-,

nected respectively with two instrument terminals on the other end member, and as having its movable switch contact so arranged that, when the winding is disconnected from the battery terminal and is grounded, both instrument terminals are disconnected from the battery, that in another position of the movable switch member to disconnect the windings from the grounded contact and to connect them with the battery terminal one of the instrument terminals is-alsc connected with the battery terminal, and that, in yet another position of the movable switch memher, the battery terminal is connected with the windings and with the other 01' the instrument terminals.

ANDERSON BANKING COMPANY, Executor of the Estate of Harry E. Norviel,

Deceased, s

By LINFIEID MYERS,

I President. 

